The Art of Sustainable Giving

by admin on July 14, 2018

I was reading somewhere that insects do not have the ability to push themselves the way humans can. Compared to higher mammals, insects are simple and efficient machines. They already run near peak efficiency all the time.

It's a good thing we are not bugs. No matter how tapped out you feel, your well always runs deeper.

You see this in sports all the time, or even at the gym. Someone pushes themselves to the point where they can barely stand. Then they get their second wind. They explode with energy.

This is nothing. Put someone or their children in danger and some people respond by winning superpowers. Ordinary folk can gain the courage to walk through fire and the strength to lift cars.

Most of your power lies dormant. You've got a hazard to yourself and others if you lived like this all the time. If you push yourself too far, you break.

But if you push yourself just enough …

Like physical strength, you have deep reserves of mental strength. No matter how frazzled, stressed or drained you may feel, your well always runs deeper.

If you force yourself to smile and keep toiling, it can lead to problems. But if you find something in the moment that restores you, you can recover even as you work.

It's like owning a car. Ignored problems persist and grow, but a little bit of maintenance will keep you running for decades.

This applies to all jobs. Tough physical labor and a challenging office job have different challenges. The response is the same, though – find joy and fulfillment where you can, and nothing will faze you.

It's especially true for caregivers. Spending all day looking after others can drain you.

Or it can invigorate you.

For many people who work to ease the suffering of others, it's a bit of both.

In many cases, there are limits to what a caregiver can do. Some people hate the idea of ​​being helped or take out their frustrations on everyone else. Some people have problems that only time will heal. And sometimes they're the lucky ones.

It can take its toll.

But it does not have to.

You can mentally 'reset' at any time. It's like waking from a deep sleep – your thoughts are fresh, or at least different. You can leave your client in the past and focus all of your attention on the present.

I can not tell you how refreshing this is. It's like having a nap in a fraction of the time.

Self-hypnosis puts you in a trance where your mind is different. It often feels like you're on a break, with nothing to do or think about. Usually you use this trance state to create a change in your mind.

But simply experiencing it is enough.

Practice focusing on your breathing. You can always breathe, so you can always go into a quick, light trance. Take 15 seconds between tasks to reset and focus on the now.